Elvis Costello is not possible to collect a hole is known, but the two sold out performances, the bespectacled singer / songwriter in recent days and polishes at the Ancienne Belgique and the Royal Circus could not be more different.

Elvis Costello has over thirty CDs to his name and just about every genre practiced. He began his career in the mid seventies in London pubscene, later became one of the most prominent figures from the British punk, and later built a repertoire from which both country, soul, jazz, opera and classical were addressed.

In addition, the man who actually acted Declan MacManus called occasionally, and in recent years, he is the bargain become a gifted talk show host.This last Wednesday was very handy in the Anciene Belgique, where he and The Imposters descended for a performance of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook, a concept that Costello last year even though it toured the United States. The idea is simple: there is a big wheel on the stage on which song titles and topics are listed. Costello's assistant, a hormone-disruptive mirror Russian type up random people in the audience that it may move, and thus determine the setlist of the evening. Then they are often under light-forced into a cage where she led for a dance to entertain us all commit, aided by a lascivious professional whose bones seem almost elastic.

Meanwhile crept Costello Wednesday in the skin of his sardonic alter ego Napoleon Dynamite and he emerged as a circus director with high-hat and stick the crowd entertained. To be honest: in essence, the set is not much different from a regular gig with The Imposters, but hold the new packaging made sure the show right from the first note was a party. The band played tight and raged against a fierce pace classics like 'I Hope You're Happy Now, "" Radio Radio "and" Mystery Dance "

In between the timid Lana turned the intimistsche "Almost Blue" on the setlist, and was ravishing Joke 'Clubland' on the program. Now, occasionally there was ever cheated. The obscure "Hoover Ville 'was run twice but not played, and there was a bubble that provided reproductive worked with a hammer, yielded a wildcard. So come on request 'Alison' along, even stopped the wheel any time at that number.

Costello made twice a walk in the hall, built a solo moment to some new work for the prices-including the recently deceased Doc Watson dedicated 'Dr. Watson, I presume. " But after well-received covers of Prince ("Purple Rain") and Johnny Cash ("Cry, Cry, Cry") were in the final straight hits yet again scattered like the confetti was concerned with "Oliver's Army ',' Indoor Fireworks' , "Pump It Up 'and as always thrilling' I Want You" as a finale.

Where the concert in the Ancienne Belgique actually give the people a great show What They Want, was the solo concert the next day at the Royal Circus one for the connoisseur. With much less obvious at work and a generous selection from the National Ransom, his latest CD. No problem, because those songs were very well live up to its promise, with the intimate "Jimmie Stading In The Rain" and "Bullets For The New Born King" as surprising outliers.

Costello is a fabulous addition songchrijver also a masterful storyteller, who therefore had no difficulty to the public on his own two hours and three quarters on the edge of the chair to keep. He switched between acoustic and electric guitar, week regularly on the set setlist, his cover of Aznavour's 'She was one where the crop in the throat crawled and played on the piano' For More Tears ", an excellent new song not even included.

During the bisronde got as a surprise Costello pianist Steve Nieve on stage, and their austere, semi-improvised version of 'I Want You "-one of the few overlaps with the set the day before, was again a hit . With Nick Lowe borrowed '(What's So Funny About) Peace, Love And Understanding "- the traditional bouncer, was it out. Twice Costello, two different times, twice an excellent concert. As befits a true Elvis.

DE SETLIST: I Hope You’re Happy Now / Heart of the City / Mystery Dance / Uncomplicated / Radio Radio / Beyond Belief / Almost Blue / All This Useless Beauty / Monkey To Man / Watching the Detectives / Clubland / Don’t Let Me Down / Cry, Cry, Cry / Good Year For the Roses / Alison / Everyday I Write the Book / Purple Rain // Slow Drag With Josephine / Jimmie Standing in the Rain / Dr. Watson, I Presume / Indoor Fireworks / Strict Time / Out of Time / I can’t Stand Up For Falling Down / HIgh Fidelity / Oliver’s Army / Pump It Up / What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding / I Want You.

What does an artist who rotates over 35 years, during long tours of the routine to counter? Simple: Elvis Costello, formerly apparently an avid viewer of the TV show "Wheel of Fortune" shows during his current tour Revolver just fate decide how the setlist looks.

Costello has always been a hated predictability. Only, you unlock new songs or obscure, then a part of the public unhappy home. Play your hits, you are the adventurous part of your spectators accused of laziness. In order for everyone to keep fun and exciting, so you need something else to think. And his "Spectacular Spinning Songbook" was the 57-year-old singer now in the AB prove that, deep down, a kind of Walter Capiau in him.

The concept is both simple and ingenious: on stage made a big wheel with colored squares in which song titles or themes are stated. At every turn prohibits anyone from the audience that "wheel of fortune 'come and give a sharp turn and commits himself to the Elvis Costello song to play when the wheel stops, designated by an arrow. Since shortlisted both classics from his long and varied career as a lesser-known songs, obscure B-sides and surprising covers adorn, the structure of each concert is by definition different. Surprises guaranteed so without the entertainment value but also a time suffers.

Costello is not only a gifted songwriter, he is also a rasentertainer never a witty one-liner is shy and knows exactly how his fans should play. In another era he'd be a vaudeville performer, but in the AB revealed his alter ego, Napoleon Dynamite, like a smooth showbiz presenter who the ringleaders plucked from the audience, mostly good-looking women, immediately at ease. The opening song of the concert, which were fired at a high rate were similar to those of this year's album 'The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook! ". Elvis Costello & The Imposters, almost all with hat and dressed in a three-piece suit, played tight and energetic and particularly the inventive keyboards of Steve Nieve regularly did your mouth fall open in amazement. In bouncy uptempo songs like "Mystery Dance," "Radio Radio", "Uncomplicted," "High Fidelity" and "Pump It Up 'interventions are bordered on pure magic.

On stage there was not only a society lounge bar where the 'wheel spinners' just having a drink could relax, but also a 'Hostage-To-Fortune Go-Go Cage', a sort of cage where the female volunteers were considered a character dance at best to give. "Not that I nervously want, but it depends entirely on you or the people in the room over the next five minutes will amuse or crashing bore" monkelde Costello, then the addressed lady him a wonderful, to Chet Baker leaning rendition of "Almost Blue" imposed. Sometimes the wheel caused a dilemma: 'Hoover Factory' or 'Watching the Detectives'? The audience chose the latter. When the theme of beauty or beast from the bus came, led successively to the elegant ballad "All This Useless Beauty and the grofkorrelioge 'Monkey To Man'. A girl on a kind of fairground attraction with a hammer on the bell was ringing, should make a choice and went for 'Alison'. "This show is the last democratic bastion in the western hemisphere," crowed Costello, which prompt some audience favorites like "Everyday I Write the Book" and "Oliver's Army" sent back.

For the occasion were also a lot of covers on the range, this: The Beatles (a foaming 'Do not Let Me Down ") to the Stones (" Out of Time "), Prince (" Purple Rain ") to Sam & Dave ("I Can not Stand Up For Falling Down") and Johnny Cash ("Cry, Cry, Cry") to Jerry Chestnutt (Goodyear For the Roses'). This was a typical act whose bisronde just as long as the actual set. Somewhere along treated the singer also has an acoustic solo fifteen minutes of recent songs, type "Slow Drag With Josephine" ("sound like rock 'n roll in Brussels in the year 1921") and "Dr. Watson, I presume, a felt tribute earlier this week to the deceased folk and bluegrass guitarist Doc Watson.After two and half hours put Elvis Costello and his mates eventually a point behind with a thrilling version of "I Want You ', so everyone went home satisfied. Sublime concert of an artist who, because of service rendered to the pop music, becoming a statue deserves.

DA GIG: Elvis Costello & The Imposters in AB, Brussels on 30/5.IN A SENTENCE: Exciting, entertaining, surprising, compelling: this show was everything you expect from a good rock concert and more.HIGHLIGHTS: In a set that consisted of 29 songs, too many to mention.LOWS: no.BEST QUOTE was actually a long story about Costello for Johnny Cash went to visit him and a signed Sun-single gift received. Later I learned that The Man in Black ever to his wife had given at their first meeting. June was so 'not amused'. Costello: "I wanted the picture does give back, but there was now" To Elvis' on. And that would be the people yet only strange ideas have brought. "

Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.

Lovely piece of theater, humor embedded in a show full of the atmosphereearly years of rock 'n roll called. Elvis Costello speaks in the year 2012 will continue tothe imagination. Child and adolescent psychiatrist Peter Adriaenssens, program developer andDevlieger presenter Michael and Dirk topacteur Roofthooft were just some ofthe famous names who signed presentable at 2 o'clock and half Costello and theImposters in the work. Improvising he talked his show - "one of thelast bastions of the Western democratic world "- to each other. Spectatorswere at the wheel "the Spectacular Spinning Songbook" run that decided whichnumber would be played. A hit, a forgotten B-side or a cover. "Aroundand around she goes, where she stops nobody knows! "With a grand overture "featuring the former Mother Superior of Our Lady ofPerpetual Torment, Dixie De La Fontaine "opened the Costello and The Impostersevening. De La Fontaine showed how the character had to dance in the"Hostage-To-Go-Go Cage Fortune" where each volunteer would spend that night inwas the fate for a danceable song. Became a midtemponummer orballad, it was completely in the 50's style, offered a drink in the "Societylounge. " Costello, Steve Nieve on keyboards, Pete Thomas on drums and DaveyFaraghar started on bass at an unprecedented pace. Delicious sounded sarcastic "I hopeyou're happy now "where Costello will eventually" go to hell "to let slip. Ifopener that could even count.Lena was the first this evening that the wheel was turning, and the cage wasin "Beyond belief". Costello had warned her about the impact of the wheel. Ifa number would be that the public does not like to hear, because they spoiled 5minutes of pleasure "of the spectators with Their upper-glasses in the royal circle" jokedas he suddenly subcutaneously in a sneer gave allmusic concert organizers who utilize ticket prices by artificiallythe height to hunt with "Golden Circle", "Early entrance" and other suchreprehensible undemocratic formulas.Marc came to "Almost Blue" and did not know what to do. Costello advised himanyway to sit in the lounge unless he fancied an interpretativechoreography. Hilarious. The weathered nature combined with the very hoarse voiceCostello and Nieve were the keys of this song one of the manyhighlights from the set. Very clever way of Costello to not show the whole wayto give to the public. Democracy has its limits and so he put hisNapoleontypetje occasionally on the side, when the tension of the actioncould be brought back. The wheel can indeed 5 midtempo songs, balladsand less known songs conjure up after another, and that has anywayimpact on a concert.Another hilarious moment when a couple goes on the stage.Costello port to the very passive guy says with a touch of almost heroicexaggeration about the man from Massachusetts who took his chance during a performancefor his love of the reels show a propose. The young lover saw in the AIF notso sit down and collapsed completely. Costello then made things worsetop: "there are a lot of fucking unhappy songs between the numbers youcan rotate. "And," This could well damage your relationship. "He madeThis article and photographs are copyright protected - single copy for personal useRedistribution in any form without prior written consent of the author is prohibitedThis article and its picture is copyrighted - copy for personal use onlyNo (re) distribution in any way allowed without written permission of the author Page 1/3that the poor wretch still felt less comfortable on stage. Whether that'swas not enough, he turned "beauty or beast" what the songs "All this useless beauty"and "Monkey to Man" yielded. A list Costello got the couple into the cagebut really dance and go with the concept, was not there when Pete (r). Sin."Watching the Detectives vs. Hoover factory" was run twice. The publicunanimously chose the first song. The second time I went through the Board of CostelloHoover Factory for the spectators not to play, but again at the wheelto run.A girl comes up and says that she sultry "I Want You" wants to hear them for the wheelis running. Costello gives laconically that he already has a partner. "Clubland" isapplause. When the wheel later in "Cash" is reached, ie it has aCash autographed album that he got while one of the few giftswas that he had given to June Carter. Loving wife was not amused, and the platereturn was not there. After Cry, cry, cry cut a cover of George CostelloJones: Good year for the roses that was very well received even though not everynote from the hoarse and tired voice came out completely.A young lady comes in, and before leaving Costello off the slopes of the wheel.The "hammer or songs" will determine what gets played. Can she use the hammer asfirmly strike the bell, then the girl choose any song. She takesnot then follow the tracks from categories like "Songs of sneer" and "the hits oftomorrow ". The latter category was a brief word with extra explanation: "these arenumbers are so good that I have not had written them. "Finally gotthey call and chose the fan for Alison, which was sung beautifully by the public.Costello released after he had Purple Rain retreaded, three solo tunes as "solointermission act "while the other band members looked lame and lipstick. Withoutgain at moments he conjured with Josephine A slow drag from his hat, whichpublicly announced the whistle. With "Jimmie standing in the rain" He'd stillhigher level and made the audience thrilled with it. A tribute tothe recently deceased guitarist Doc Watson and his family, he brought in "Dr. Watson Ipresume ".In the final round which was preceded by "Big Ben" sounds, played the four"Strict Time" and the Rolling Stones Cover Out of time. The theme in which the wheelstalled, it was - you guessed it - time. With a series of happy songs, and as sublimehighlight especially that one cherished number where the wheel but not wantedpause - "I Want You" - very animated when Costello brought a wealth ofemotions had heard about desperate love and even a little peevishly, he putit together with his musicians, he gave a sublime end of an equallyphenomenal, varied and entertaining performance.

Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.

Funny actually that you can read in one newspaper that Elvis Costello for years nothing more of substance delivered. For what concerns us is that newspaper his last studio album ("National Ransom") and his album with Allen Toussaint ("The River In Reverse ') overlooked. But actually allowed this all to the last man freezing there in the sweltering Ancienne Belgique. Because Elvis Costello's spectacular spinning songbook was so much more than a list of "little hits."

Man ever did for him, but Elvis Costello's wheel looked so much impressionanter out. The whole room was occupied by the colorful, with colored lights bordered wheel. And he knew more color, the background was in fact occupied by a gigantic test image. On both sides of the podium also were other attributes that would prove useful during the show.

Let us be clear, before you begin to wonder whether it's a concert, so this became a freak show: it was the music around which the show revolved. And Declan Patrick Aloysius McManus illustrated that immediately by five songs without further commentary on the public firing. A song like Uncomplicated is one big invitation to jamming, which did Costello with visible pleasure.

The beauty of the repertoire of the man is that everyone has their own favorite. You always saw somewhere somebody in the audience will be thrilled when the first notes of a song were deployed or are pulling the hair as the wheel as his or her favorite skipped. But Costello still neatly made sure that even if your preferred song was not pretty in the selection hole, even then the audience favorites however were addressed. And covers - Purple Rain, Cry Cry Cry (Johnny Cash) and Out Of Time (Rolling Stones) - you got it as a bonus at.

Besides, at that wheel, which of course by volunteers - whether or not picked by the frontman from the audience - was driven not only stood song titles. There were also pinned broader issues. When the ratchet example, fell silent on "Beauty or beast?" He dished dazzling versions of All This Useless Beauty consecutively and Monkey To Man. It remained always exciting and unpredictable.

Oh yes, those other attributes yet. In the go-go cage as a dancer in glitter pack going crazy on the first few songs to make way for the initially bewildered and obviously female crank conditioners, were pressed guides the cage under gentle pressure. The guys gave it clearly prefers to stick with one drink a little more in the background.

Who with "The Hammer of Songs" - you probably know the classic strength of the local fair game - got to the bell, could choose his favorite song of the wheel, which resulted in this case, Allison.

Where the first part was played by the gig with band, McManus came after a short break - his three-piece gray suit had meanwhile already large, dark gray got sweat edges - only on stage for some less obvious songs like the recent Slow Drag To Josephine and his personal tribute to the recently deceased Doc Watson Doctor Watson, I Presume.

But ultimately, the band fell in with Indoor Fireworks to then knit a different end to the already more than two-hour show with exciting and muscular versions include Pump It Up.

Logical that the concert ended with absolute favorite I Want You, which all along from the audience was called and asked. Through the voice of one of the two boxes to slow slightly, the number was even more depth.

To conclude with a towering cliché, we can not but call this the concert of the year. Even as we opted to take the man under the arm and use it as our personal conditioning because this kind goosebumps we would like to make the necessary sweat."